Is vitamin D supplementation necessary for children over 1 year of age?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Bui Thi Ha - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps children develop healthy bones and strengthens the immune system. Therefore, vitamin D is often prescribed by doctors when they are born, so is vitamin D necessary for children over 1 year old?

1. Where does vitamin D come from?

The Sun Our bodies make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight. However, it is actually very difficult to get enough vitamin D from the sun. Most children and adults spend a lot of time indoors at school and work. When outdoors, adults and children should take skin protection measures to prevent skin cancer and skin damage from prolonged and intense sun exposure.
Food There are very few foods with natural vitamin D. The foods with the most Vitamin D are fatty fish and oily fish. Because children do not eat these foods much, vitamins are often added to milk, yogurt, baby formula, juice, cereals and other foods.
Functional foods To get enough vitamin D, in addition to sunbathing and using foods, you can also use multivitamins containing vitamin D. However, using vitamin D-containing functional foods. You should strictly follow the doctor's instructions.

2. Which children are at risk of vitamin D deficiency?

Due to lack of direct sunlight and not getting enough vitamin D in the diet, the following children are at risk of vitamin D deficiency:
Children limit their sun exposure. Due to the reduced duration of sunlight and severe winter weather from November to February, parents often limit children's exposure to sunlight. So children living in northern areas may not get enough sun to meet their vitamin D needs. Children with darker skin. Because the pigment, or melanin, in dark-skinned children blocks the sun, resulting in vitamin D not being produced effectively. Standing in the same sun for the same amount of time, darker-skinned children produce less Vitamin D than lighter-skinned children. Babies are only breastfed. Breastfeeding is great for babies. However, breast milk has a disadvantage that it does not have enough vitamin D that the baby's body needs, so breastfed babies should supplement with vitamin D, especially need to supplement vitamin d3 for babies.

In addition, children with certain medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease affect the body's ability to absorb nutrients, including vitamin D. In addition, studies have shown that children with obesity are more likely to be obese. high risk of vitamin D deficiency.

3. Do you need vitamin D supplements for children over 1 year old?

Because vitamin D is only found in sunlight, certain foods, such as fatty fish and eggs, or certain foods such as breakfast cereals, it is important to get vitamin D from supplements. do necessary. Do not expose children to the sun too much because it will affect their skin. Therefore, doctors recommend that even if children are still exposed to sunlight, they should still supplement vitamin D for children with the following dosage:
Babies from birth to 1 year old who are breastfed should be supplemented Daily vitamin D with 8.5 to 10 micrograms (μg) to ensure adequate. Infants fed formula should not be fortified with vitamin D if they eat more than 500ml of infant formula per day, because infant formula is already fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients. Children 1 to 4 years of age should receive a daily supplement of 10 micrograms (μg) of vitamin D.

Some children may need more vitamin D than the above doses if they have certain medical conditions such as obesity, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, or bone pain, some children have just recovered from bone surgery or are taking anti-inflammatory medication. Seizures caused by these drugs prevent the body from using vitamin D.
In addition to vitamin D supplements, children over 1 year old need 5mg of elemental zinc/day to eat well, reach the correct height and weight, and exceed the standard. Zinc plays a role in affecting most biological processes taking place in the body, especially the breakdown of nucleic acids, proteins... Organs in the body when zinc deficiency can lead to a There are a number of diseases such as neurological disorders, irritability, etc. Therefore, parents need to learn about the role of zinc and guide them to appropriate zinc supplements for their children.
In addition to zinc, parents also need to supplement their children with other important vitamins and minerals such as lysine, chromium, B vitamins,... errands.
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References: kidshealth.org, chop.edu, nhs.uk